New Puppy

[ladyIris23]

I have a bunch of questions but I will try and keep it short. We are getting a six week old Golden Retriever puppy this Friday. My questions are should I crate train him? What are the pros and cons? Also we have 2 cats a 1 year old and a 4 month old. Any suggestions on how to introduce them to each other? I will be home the first 4 days we have them then I will be at work 3-4 hours a day. So any and all tips are welcome.
Thank you,
Iris

[ladyIris23]

The puppy is now 10 weeks old and everything is going good except; He is terrorising our cats. Any tips on puppies and cats getting along would be great or any other puppy tips I would love
Iris

[karenbrn]

Congrats on the new addition! I have worked with animals and with vets in the past...Anyone with any experience will tell you that crating a puppy is the best way to go. It will make your housebreaking experience a more pleasant one and it will give your newest family member a "little place" for them to call home! If they cry when crated the first few nights its because they are missing their siblings, not because they don't like the crate. When they are introduced to the crate at an early age they really love it! I have 2 dogs that are 4 years old. We just lost our 13 year old dog two weeks ago and the crating process allowed them all to become close friends. (See even when you are introducing animals of the same kind its a great tool.) I'm sure it will be the same for your gang...I just recently introduced a female stray cat to our household (she managed to give birth to 3 kittens too!) I only had trouble with one of the younger dogs during the introduction process. But with close supervision and the crate to keep them apart while your not there it should be easy. It may night happen overnight, but don't give up! The most ironic thing is that with 2 out of the 3 dogs, the process was immediate, even though they have never had a cat in the house! I had to watch the 3rd as I noticed she was very "stiff" around the kittens. Keep an close watch on their reactions and supervise their time together as much as possible. Look online for helpful tips and I'm sure you can get help from your local vet. Petfinders.org may have a site you can go to for more detailed crating and introduction methods.

[Jeannie]

Having trained dogs for more than 40 years, I will tell you that crating is the only way to go. Restrict liquids and food 2 hours before putting pup to bed.... then put him in the crate... he may have to go after a few hours, so if he does, get up, PICK HIM UP and take him outside... say ...go potty ...go potty, and when pup does.. say, GOOD PUUPPPPY! make a big deal of it.. because it IS a big deal, then put him back in the crate.

When you are away at work, what arrangements have you made for the pup? Understand that the pup can't wait 10-12 hours til you get home to go potty!... You go potty a few times while at work on breaks, right? and you're an adult. I'm saying don't expect the dog to be in a crate alllllll day! that's not what a crate is for.

If you don't have a kennel run, now's the time to make one... 4x6 feet or better yet, 4x10 feet... with adequate protection against the elements.. a chain link one is best, covered with tarp and tarp on the side to protect from wind and rain... an ELEVATED dog house and adequate water, usually a bucket that has a brass clip and clipped on the side of the fence.

Or, there are boarding kennels now that do day care, and they are wonderful. There is one 3 miles from me....and they are doing a brisk business.

Since you are going to be gone only 4 hours, you could make sure pup potties before you leave, and then crate him until you get home... (Remember 4 HOURS MAX)..come home take him out and whatever.... BEFORE you go to the store or make stops.

Owning a dog is not the same as owning cats... If you feel it's too regimented for you, then I would re-think getting a pup at this time.

Once the pup has all its shots, find out where there are obedience classes and do go to them. It's imperative to the peace and harmony of the home and for the pup! That's life with a dog....on going training...*smiles*

[ladyIris23]

A quick update on our puppy. we named him Max and he is doing great. He loves his crate and doesn't mind being in it the 2 or at the most 4 hours that I am at work. At night we put him to bed at midnight and one of us gets up and takes him out at 4:00 am then when my hubby comes home at 7:00 am he lets him out. We have a fenced back yard that he is starting to like being in. We don't leave him out alone more than 15 mins. We take him on a walk twice a day. He hasn't had any accidents in the house for a week now knock on wood. He will go to the door and whine when he wants out. Like I said in the earlier post the only real problem is between him and the 6 month old kitten. He wants to play but Murphey is totally scared of him and runs and hides when ever he sees Max.
Thanks for all the tips and help. I'm sure I will need more. The only puppy school I have found so far around here is $500 so that is not possible right now maybe with income tax refund.
Iris

[Jeannie]

Ahhh!!! music to my ears! you're doing everything right!

Try contacting the Humane Society and PetsMart. if you have one in the area.. they usually do obedience / socializing classes.

Also ask the breeder if he or she has classes.. I used to have puppy obedience classes with all my litters.. I also refunded part of the purchase price if they titled their dogs in Obedience and got a Canine Good Citizen award...

Pups need obedience training ...there are certain things you can teach him....sit... being the first command....*bigsmile*

[Lifestar]

Jeannie was a wonderful help to me when I got my puppy in June.. She's doing great now amd we couldn't be happier with her! .. ( but just got back from my brother's house, and he has carpeting,..which we don't ... and a dog of his own..... pottty-wise, it wasn't as successful a visit as I'd hoped.. I guess she thought carpet was grass, or something .. any way I digress..)

I wanted to mention that out puppy obedience classes were run by our local Cooperative Extension center in conjuntion with the 4-H and only cost $65.00 for 8 weekly classes. It was a wonderful bargain.

[hummingbird_0331]

i suggest not holding back at all..just let them come up to each other and sniff and smell. they will be curious and thats how I have always gone about it. Seemed to work everytime.

GOOD LUCK hun!

Let us know how it goes!
And Congrats on the newest member of YOUR family!..lol

[Flutterby84]

I grew up with both cats and dogs and it really depends on the nature of each animal. I had a black lab and a black cat that loved each other, but then a bernese mountain dog that hated the cat (the cat has outlived 3 dogs now, so she knows who is boss, but the dogs often don't get it). you should try and socialize both of them and show your love to both animals simultaneously so they don't feel like the other is an intruder, but sometimes cats and dogs just don't get along and there isn't anything you can do about it. we had to put our cat outside for awhile because she was destroying the house and annoyed with the dog. having each animal in its own territory has seemed to help.

[quickcutters]

If you don't want your new pup potting all over the house i sure would take the first couple of posts to heart. ( not that the other post were not good advice i just didn't read them all) nothing personal to anyone esle.

I have always crate trained my yorkies and they know the rules of the house and most important they know where to go potty. ha

I want to wish you good luck with your pup and keep us up to date.
Well I just wanted to say how lucky we are to have very informative members that we can go to and ask our questions.

Thank you